What did you pursue next after working at one of the FAANGs?

Currently at my “peak” at Google (senior staff), after having worked at a healthy mix of startups/mid-cap/large-cap before, so I like to think I’ve seen a bit of everything and I’m starting to age in my mid 30s, I’m consistently the oldest around the office.

My next move will either be “retiring” and trying to start a solo business in super low-pressure mode (thanks to good savings), or find a right partner and be a cofounder at a typical venture backed startup in the Bay and shoot for the stars. Likely nothing in between.

So far I’m not too motivated about the second even if more than one person told me that I have the right attitude, practicality and perseverance to get stuff done (I don’t totally believe them, I know how hard it is to start one as I was in the front seat as early employee a few times). I am more looking forward to the first, somehow I am enticed about the idea of spending my days not talking to a single soul, except customers via email (can you tell I spend 70% of my time in meetings?!).

I am waiting for a unicorn I have a good chunk of equity in to go public (or bust) before taking a decision about what’s next. At that point, my FAANG compensation will either become an irrelevant drop in the bucket, or a necessity not worth risking for several more years.

Where does it stop? At least in India it is first getting into IIT , then it’s getting into a FAANG, move to the Bay Area, buy a 4000 sq ft house , then it’s about this prestige and that prestige. Expect the same in China , US and some other places. Just go live your own life , solve interesting problems and be happy . You wanna get young teens to engage more with your app as a sign of your success in life ?

Whatever I want? Getting hired by and working for a MAAMA BigCorp is not exactly the pinnacle of human achievement.

It is certainly an eye opener, though. Go live your best, most fulfilling life, whatever that looks like for you!

I worked on the self driving car project at Google up until a bit before it renamed to Waymo. I worked on all the various drive-by-wire systems on that low speed vehicle we built. When that project wrapped up, we were starting to figure out the Pacifica minivan integration. A former co-worker from SpaceX invited me to grab a beer, and told me about Zipline. I came by for a tour, and they surprised me with a full day of interviews. I was a good sport about it, and they were clearly desperate for someone with my skill-set. I've been at Zipline for over 6 years now. It's been a great, supportive place to work with relatively low drama. The company had about 30 people when I joined, and now it's grown to many hundreds and I'm one of the most senior employees. Coinciding with Zipline, I got married, and my wife and I made a beautiful daughter, and we're expecting our second daughter in a few months.

The firehose of Google money was nice, but it isn't what made me the most wealth over the years. I've had good success with stock options in startups, having joined SpaceX in 2010, and Zipline in 2016. Zipline is still quite risky, but I am optimistic that we'll pan out long term!

I was at Amazon for 10.5 years working as an engineer and then moving into leadership roles.

I didn’t exit for a new opportunity so much as my sanity.

My personal relationships, mental and physical health, all took a heavy hit.

I stuck around for the money. I held my initial stock vests until 2019, skipping the whole “eggs in one basket” advice. I then sold half my equity, and then I sold my 2020 and 2021 grants at almost close to the top.

I don’t have to work for a while, and my spouse earns enough for me to stay at home until I’m bored, without selling any investments. Financially we’re completely secured now.

I almost lost my spouse. I practically had no friends or life by the time I left. I’d worked so hard and so long but lost focus on myself, my family, and any notion of enjoying life.

I wish I started a family sooner. I wish I kept in close touch with siblings. I wish I’d been closer with my parents, especially when my dad was still alive.

The biggest opportunity that I missed again and again is realizing no piece of shit company, no matter how much they pay you, or whatever title they give you, is worth throwing away your life for. Amazon was a hell hole. It still is a hell hole, but it’s not my problem anymore.

I worked at 2 of them in my career and left the stifling, closed environment to go back to my first love: teaching folks how to enjoy coding more.

I now teach people the way I think is best, and pick and choose who I work with. It's been over five years since I left, and it's the best thing I ever did.

After being in Big places, sometimes it is very difficult to go to other "great" working places that have different cultures, conditions and unwritten rules.

Went to a game studio

Pay is lower but the work is much more interesting/satisfying

A lot of people on my team are from other big tech companies so I think a pretty large % is just bouncing around getting a reset on RSUs, a promotion, or just a fresh start on a new project.

I wonder how many move to lesser paying roles, e.g. game dev, seed stage startups, utilities, etc.

Haskelling

You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. ;-p

I moved to management in another industry.

Drugs